Receiving Donations from Groundswell (via Chariot)

Groundswell now partners with Chariot to distribute donations to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. Depending on how your organization is set up within Chariot, you may receive funds in slightly different ways. This article breaks down what to expect and how to identify donations that come from Groundswell users.

How Groundswell Donations Are Delivered

Groundswell sends all donations to U.S.-based charities through Chariot. Chariot supports two types of delivery paths: (1) receiving funds directly in your Chariot account or (2) live paper check.

1. Receiving Funds When You Have a Chariot Account (Recommended)

If your nonprofit is registered with Chariot, has completed the onboarding process, and has connected your bank account, you can receive funds electronically.

How it works:

1. A donor uses Groundswell to donate to your organization
2. Groundswell routes the donation to Chariot, where it will appear in your Chariot dashboard
3. You can click “move funds” to begin an ACH transfer from your Chariot account to your organization’s external financial account
4. You can track and view the donation details (amount, donor info if not anonymous, notes) in Chariot dashboard

What you’ll see:

• Funds in your Chariot balance ready to be moved to your external financial account
• Donation details inside the Chariot dashboard

Benefits:

• Fastest payout method
• No paper checks to track
• Centralized reporting and donation details
• More reliable delivery method vs USPS mail

2. If Your Organization Does Not Have a Chariot Account

If your organization is not yet connected to Chariot or does not wish to connect to Chariot, then donations will be delivered as a live paper check.

In these cases:

• Chariot will first reach out to your organization notifying you of an incoming donation. They will ask you to create a Chariot account to allow for the donation to arrive as quickly as possible via electronic payment!
• If no account is created or claimed, the donation will automatically be mailed as a paper check to the address Groundswell has on file for your organization.

How to Ensure You Receive Funds Quickly

If you’re looking to receive your Groundswell funds quickly, we recommend electronic distributions. To receive electronic distributions with full visibility, you’ll first need to create a Chariot account:

1. Create your Chariot nonprofit account HERE
2. Verify your organization using Chariot’s onboarding process. More about that process here.
3. Connect your bank account for ACH payouts

Once connected, all Groundswell donations will be routed directly to your Chariot dashboard.

Need Help?

Our team is here to support you!

If you have questions about a donation, payout timing, or anything else related to Groundswell, please reach out to our support team HERE.

If you have questions about your organization’s Chariot setup, please reach out to the Chariot support team HERE.